Communication guide with pictograms for emergency situations faced by Guardia Civil

The Communication Guide with Pictograms helps Guardia Civil officers communicate with people who have disabilities or language barriers in emergencies. The 46-page guide uses over 100 pictograms across 11 scenarios, is on devices of 82,000 officers, and is free to replicate.

Fundación ONCE, a leading Spanish disability NGO, partnered with Guardia Civil, Spain’s national police, to develop a pictogram-based communication guide for emergency situations. The “Communication Guide with Pictograms for Emergency Situations” features over 100 pictograms for 11 emergency scenarios, such as accidents and violence. Launched in 2023, by 2025 the guide has been distributed to over 3,000 service offices across Spain and installed on tablets carried by 82,000 Guardia Civil officers.

Problems Targeted

People with disabilities and language barriers struggle to communicate in emergencies, risking delays or misunderstandings when engaging with police.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

The “Communication Guide with Pictograms for Emergency Situations” was developed by Fundación ONCE and Guardia Civil to support accessible communication during emergencies for people with communication difficulties. The 46-page guide leverages over 100 pictograms to help police and victims communicate when language or disability prevents direct speech. It covers scenarios including accidents, violence, cybercrime, and confusion, with easy graphic representations for critical questions and feelings. Fundación ONCE led co-creation efforts with accessibility and disability experts and used pictograms from the ARASAAC’s (Aragonese Centre of Augmentative and Alternative Communication) open-source database – a free, international symbol collection for augmentative and alternative communication. The Guardia Civil integrated the guide into every citizen-facing service point and made it available on all tablets and corporate devices, thus ensuring frontline officers are always equipped. By 2025 the guide has been installed in the devices carried by 82,000 Guardia Civil officers and is also available on the Guardia Civil’s intranet. The guide has been used by officers in charge of providing many different services, including traffic control duties and helping pilgrims who are walking the El Camino de Santiago. It has made communication easier with pilgrims who do not speak Spanish, and has helped officers solve situations more efficiently and quickly.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

Fully funded by Fundación ONCE and Guardia Civil through a public partnership, the guide is built for no-cost replication and digital expansion. Future plans include new scenarios (e.g., mountain rescue), extending to other first responders, and promoting the model in EU networks. (#ZeroCall26)

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