With about 70 other people, Mr Baxter was at the reopening of the earthquake-strengthened and completely refurbished fire station, part of a $25 million-a-year spend to upgrade the Fire Service's more than 500 stations throughout New Zealand.
As the station had needed to be earthquake strengthened, a decision was made to refurbish and extend the station while builders were on site.
Work started on the project in June so it would be completed before summer, when the brigade is traditionally busy.
The Omarama brigade had an exceptional 20 call-outs in January of this year, and the pace had not slackened since then.
However, the brigade and builders successfully worked around each other.
The existing station was built in 1970 by volunteers with material supplied by the then Waitaki County Council.
Over the years it had been extended and altered, but this was its biggest makeover.
Now the fire station looks like new. It has been extended by 6m at the front, adding 65sq m, and now has the room and height to take a new fire appliance, which the Omarama brigade hoped was next on the list to replace its 1988 International.
The brigade has a bigger office-communications centre, a shower-wet room, a clothing washroom with tub and washing machine, new locker room with ventilation and a drier system, a redecorated social room and extended kitchen.
During the opening, Omarama fire chief Howard Williams and Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher both put in a plug for a new fire appliance to add to the relatively new first-response unit paid for by the community and a personnel carrier utility.
Mr Kircher praised the volunteers for their work, saying ''you face things we as the public never want to face''.
Mr Baxter said the refurbished station would provide for its firefighters and the community well into the future.
The brigade has 14 volunteers and two new recruits joining. The optimum level is 20 firefighters.
Mr Baxter acknowledged the existing fire unit was reaching the end of its life and, while not promising anything, said without the refurbishment of the station a new one would not have fitted.
