The Schism is the altercation, disagreement, or confrontation that divided the organization known as V.F.D. into two groups, one of which was referred to by Kit Snicket in The Penultimate Peril as "the fire-starting side" of the schism. The other side, it is assumed and hinted throughout the series by various characters within, are still trying to be noble people and uphold the V.F.D. tradition of putting out fires, both figuratively and literally.