Doc's Makarora field supervisor, Chris Wilson, who is also fire chief for the remote village, remembers being called out in the middle of a snowy winter night to fight a fire at his own emergency centre.
Moving into the new premises has been a welcome moment for Mr Wilson, who, alongside Makarora's other Doc staff, have worked out of a garage shed during the past nine months.
"Its a pretty important [facility] for us to have here," he said of the new depot.
"Everything revolves around the base and workshop.
"It's a central departure point for any Doc staff working in the area.
"With the winter months coming on, it's also where we do a lot of our maintenance and repair work," he said.
Some new plant and equipment had also been bought for the new shed, although it would be "a few years yet" before the depot was outfitted "the way it was".
"A lot of our equipment was custom-made for specific jobs in the field.
"We'll get there though. Things will be bigger and better."
The new building has been "future-proofed" to allow for new radio technology to be installed and also outfitted with improved hoists, insulation, and machinery, Mr Wilson said.
A potbelly stove - identified by a fire inspector as the cause of the July blaze - has also been replaced with a modern log-burner.
