Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 21683, any balance remaining in the fund after the payments made under Section 21682 may be used by the department to purchase emergency search and rescue equipment and to make such equipment available for use by recognized search and rescue groups. The equipment shall remain the property of the department. No more than eight thousand dollars ($8,000) shall be expended pursuant to this section for the purchase of emergency search and rescue equipment.

(Added by Stats. 1970, Ch. 1606.)