The media will be on the ground and in the air as 28 firefighters from three stations perform a mock rescue of a dangling window-washer or construction worker. The Fort Worth Fire Department's first exercise, set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., gets underway with several firefighters rappelling from the roof to determine load adjustments. Wind direction will determine which side of the building will be the staging ground. Additional sessions will be held June 5 and June 19.

The Tower's make-over into a retail and residential project presented a rare opportunity for a first-hand experience of a high-level rescue instead of the usual training site, a six-story tower at the Fire and Police Training Center along Calvert Street. Lt. Kent Worley, the fire department's public information officer, building owner Tony Landrum, president of TLC Realty Advisors, and Jack Glowacki operations manager for Turner Construction Co. will hold a debriefing and share insights about high-level rescues as well as the building's design and construction at a debriefing following the training session.

The high-rise was damaged in March 2000 when a tornado cut a swath through the downtown. After several on and off plans, TLC Realty came up with a formula for success with "for sale" condos atop street-level retail.