(a) The state fire marshal may enter into contracts to establish regional search and rescue teams to provide a response to search and rescue incidents.

(b) (1) The state fire marshal shall appoint a search and rescue advisory committee to provide input and assistance to the search and rescue program and act as advisors to the state fire marshal and director of the emergency response division.

(2) The search and rescue advisory committee shall be comprised of one member from each search and rescue region, one representative from the Kansas division of emergency management, one representative from the Kansas national guard/crisis city, one representative from the Kansas fire and rescue training institute and one representative from the Kansas search and rescue dog association.

(3) The committee shall meet periodically as determined by the state fire marshal. Advisory committee members attending committee meetings shall be paid per diem compensation and subsistence allowances, mileage and other reasonable and necessary expenses as provided in Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-3223, and amendments thereto.

(c) The state fire marshal may adopt rules and regulations governing the composition, training requirements, response and operations of the regional search and rescue teams.