Possible OD

"Medic Engine 461, MBA, respond for a possible overdose at 1234 5th Street (address changed for patient privacy), 1234 5th Street. Stage for SO (Sheriffs Officer)." We jumped into the engine and started towards the location. We informed San Bernardino that we were staging about a block away awaiting the arrival of the SO. We do this so that if there is a dangerous situation the cop gets shot at or stabbed or attacked and not us. Selfish but we know how to patch him up, plus he has the gun. After a few minutes we asked for an ETA. San Bernardino got back to us with an unknown ETA. This can get very frustrating to a paramedic since there could be someone dying in that house and we can't do anything about it. A couple of minutes later dispatch informed us that SO was delayed and the we could proceed at our own discretion. We decided to go on in. At the house we were met by the son of our patient who informed us that his father had taken a bunch (technical language) of Vicodin. We went inside to find his father naked from the waste down in the kitchen, having fallen and knocked over the water cooler. He was in an awkward position and was a little out of it. Just then the ambulance got there. I asked them to bring in a backboard so that we could C-Spine the patient. This was a tricky procedure because our patient was incontinent too. We finished out assessment and loaded him up. When I called the hospital they wanted to know if I had given him any Activated Charcoal (medication given to people that take pills). The MICN (nurse that I talk to on the phone) seemed to get a little upset that I hadn't done that yet. Sometimes it's hard to make them realize that there are only so many things that you can get done in some situations before you send that patient off in the ambulance.