LAGUNA BEACH

The city’s lifeguards are trained and equipped with medical technology that could help save people suffering heart attacks.

The devices, known as automatic external defibrillators, have been used by the Fire Department for more than five years, said Jeff LaTendresse, a department battalion chief.

The defibrillators are patches that are attached to the chest to help revitalize a heart that has stopped beating.

The city purchased seven used machines, at $350 each, from the Orange County Fire Authority two months ago. An independent maintenance company certified that they met industry standards, LaTendresse said.