V.F.D.

V.F.D. is an extremely mysterious secret organization within the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. The purposes of the organization are never made clear, although the name of the organization—presumably an initialism for Volunteer Fire Department—is connected to various interpretations of the word "fire". V.F.D. members have been known to participate in various and often unusual intellectual pursuits, activist (though sometimes illicit) enterprises, and undercover activities, for example: cryptography, disguise training, crime prevention, espionage, animal conditioning projects, and social change. The organization's most known tenets include both extreme secrecy and dedication to the organization itself, with membership beginning from early childhood and seemingly based strongly on family ties.

It has been implied that the organization's original purpose was to fight physical fires, and later developed into a mission to fight other, metaphorical fires, like evil and ignorance. Its motto is "the world is quiet here," reflecting its dedication to keeping the world quiet, in other words, peaceful, knowledgeable and safe. Accordingly V.F.D. dedicates itself to collecting as much truthful information as possible in commonplace books, and compiling it all in various "safe places". All V.F.D. members have a tattoo of an eye on their left ankle.

At some point, V.F.D. underwent a schism, dividing its members into two opposing sides, frequently labeled as volunteers and villains. Villains literally start fires as well as frequently engage in other sinister plots, while volunteers work to thwart these efforts; however, it is emphasized that circumstances often force people to behave as their enemies would, suggesting that, on occasion, members of both sides have in fact done noble as well as awful things to each other. By the time the Baudelaire orphans have become aware of V.F.D., allying steadfastly with the volunteers, it seems as though the biggest problem V.F.D. faces is its own schism, which has murderously pitted the two sides against each other.

Read more about V.F.D.:  Background, Mission, Sugar Bowl, The Baudelaires' Discoveries, Snicket's Hints, Snicket File, V.F.D. Codes, Locations With V.F.D. Activity, V.F.D. Animals, List of V.F.D.s