The acronym VFD.

[eescorpius]

Did Daniel Handler ever talk about the process behind creating VFD?

I just find it amusing how he chose an acronym that could be used for so many other phrases.

I was just looking at the ASOUE fandom page: snicket.fandom.com/wiki/V.F.D._(disambiguation)

It's so flexible with so many variations that I have always been curious whether Daniel Handler knew when he created the Volunteer Fire Department. My book set is in Vancouver but I am in Asia right now, so I can't check. The first mention of VFD was in TAA right? BUT I remember there were always drawings in the books showing Olaf's tattoo, which is basically the VFD eye, so Daniel Handler had to have planned VFD from the beginning right?

Sorry if it's a repetitive question. I don't come on here often so I am not sure if there are answers.

[Hermes]

Olaf's tattooo in the earlier books is different; it is a much more straightforwad eye. This explains how Dr Orwell's office could be the same shape - it wouldn't be possible to build a building in the shape of the VFD eye, which is not a closed figure.

It's quite possible DH had the idea of VFD earlier on; since his original contract was only for four books, he wouldbn't hae introduced a mystery which takes a long time to resolve. But some things in the earlier books don't realy fit in with the VFD plot as it developed - Monty and Josephine's behaviour would have been very different if they were members of a secret organisation dedicated to fighting villainy, which already knew about Olaf and was engaged in chasing him.

[Optimism is my Phil-osophy]

I am almost certain that the idea about VFD came up when he reread TBB for inspiration, and read about the official fire department.

In TAA we have other fire survivors, so the idea must have come to mind. Then he thought about how to connect this with the tattoo. With regard to finding a justification for the shape of the building where Dr. O worked, I can point out that the Baudelaires made a fair mistake: whenever they saw eyes and eye symbols they related Count Olaf's tattoo ... After all they still haven't they had the idea that they were actually letters.
As evidenced by the use of the names of disguises, Lemony narrates the conclusions that the Baudelaires have about things. Not that Daniel Handler actually thought of it, but it is interesting to think so now that Daniel Handler has let asoue have a life of its own, so to speak.

The illustrations are different, and sometimes exchanged, because Mr. H (the character) is not a member of VFD, and his illustrations do not necessarily reflect the world of asoue perfectly: it is the interpretation that Mr. H gives according to information contained in Lemony's books and letters to him.
(The photos from LSTUA more accurately reflect that universe).

With respect to the various uses of the letters VFD, I can say that Daniel Handler is the master of words and he loves word games. So ... That must have been fun for him, and he must have forced the plot to fit some names.

[Hermes]

The name VFD is actually mentioned in TAA, by the Quagmires at the end, so he must have decided on it by then. If you mean it was already settled that it was a volunteer fire department, I'm sure that is true, especially as it can stand for that in real life. It's worth remembering that when we, the readers, first here of VFD, we don't even know that it is an organisation, and that doesn't become clear to us until the end of THH: but in retrospect, Jacques in TVV makes it clear, when he says 'I work for the Volunteer -'.

From a Watsonian point of view, the explanation that Brett hasn't seen Olaf's tattoo is a good one; but from a Doylist one, I'm fairly sure the shape of Dr Orwell's office was meant to be an actual clue, not just a misunderstanding by the Baudelaires.

[Optimism is my Phil-osophy]

I may add that the traditional eye shape associated with the art of Mr. H and VFD has not been completely abandoned. For example, traditional eyes drawn on the scene of the woman in disguise near the elevator. If I'm not mistaken, in the illustration in TPP, this woman uses a barrel decorated with traditional eyes, which reminds me a lot of the illustrations of the prints on the socks worn by a villain in TMM.