Fallen firefighter's widow on anniversary of his death: 'Everyone should make it home'

NORTH EAST — Shawn Giles had stopped at the store and was driving home with a truck of grocery bags when the call came in.

As he had done so many times before, Giles, a volunteer firefighter with the Fuller Hose Co., drove to the scene of the accident at Route 20 and Brickyard Road. In a fluorescent green shirt, Giles began directing traffic with the bright orange flag he used as part of his fire police duties.

"He was on his way home when they were tapped out with a vehicle accident," Adele Burnett-Giles recalled Tuesday. "But as we all know, he didn't make it home. Everyone should make it home. Let me say that again: Everyone should make it home."

'The gentle giant'

Giles, 53, was struck by a 2007 Lexus RX350, driving an estimated 55 mph. He was thrown between 15 to 20 feet in the air and killed. The Fuller Hose Co. had never lost a member in the line of duty since its founding on Dec. 31, 1885. Until Giles.

"His death was one that robbed our community," his widow, Burnett-Giles, told about 100 people who gathered at Gibson Park Tuesday on the one-year anniversary of Giles' death. "People who knew him, even those who didn't, were affected by such a tragic loss. Everyone who knew Sean loved him. He picked up the nickname the 'gentle giant' because he was a big guy, soft spoken, but always willing to do his share.

"Sean's death has left a hole in our hearts that can never be filled," she continued. "You may be wondering why there are other agencies represented here today. They're here at my request. You see, I promised Sean that his death was not going to be in vain and I was going to try to do my part to make sure the senseless tragedy doesn't happen to another family."

Moments later, Burnett-Giles and her two-year-old grandson Lucas DiCarlo pulled back a red sheet to unveil what will now be a permanent fixture in the park in the center of town.

Ultimate sacrifice

Created by Erie City Memorials, the memorial includes an engraved picture of Giles and an inscription: "In loving memory of Shawn Giles, a dedicated firefighter of Fuller Hose Company #1, who courageously gave his life in service to the North East community on August 20, 2023. Forever in our hearts, his sacrifice shall never be forgotten."

Dan Adamus, the chaplain for the Fuller Hose Co. and the captain of the North East Fire Department's fire police unit, of which Giles was a member, choked back tears as he spoke about the sacrifice that all volunteer firefighters and their families make every day.

"The volunteer firefighter joins to help his or her community," Adamus said. "They do so by dedicating hundreds of hours of personal time each year to participate in both mandatory and enhanced training. We also do so in response to a variety of emergencies. We do so to save lives and property. When the tones go off, they know they're being called to save someone's life or to assist them on what may be the worst day of their life. The volunteer does not ask why we go as we are called. That's what Shawn did a year ago: respond to the call. His ultimate sacrifice saved lives a year ago, including my own."

Call for change

Burnett-Giles is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania State Police, the Highway Safety Network and others to raise awareness about the state's Move Over Law , which took effect in 2021 and requires motorists to change lanes or, if they are unable to, reduce their speed by 20 mph below the posted speed limit as they approach an emergency response area.

An emergency response area is any location where an emergency vehicle has its lights flashing, or where road crews or emergency responders are using flares or have signs posted to warn motorists.

The law applies to police, fire, ambulance crews, stopped tow trucks and maintenance vehicles. It also applies to disabled vehicles when at least two emergency displays, including hazard lamps, flares, cones or caution signs, are present.

Giles-Burnett plans to speak at events and take part in educational campaigns. But she also wants lawmakers to consider changes to the Move Over Law, including increasing penalties. A first offense carries a fine of up to $500, with penalties increasing to $1,000 on a second offense, and $2,000 plus a 90-day license suspension for third and subsequent offenses.

"One time is too many," she said. "One time is all it takes."

She also wants lawmakers to change DUI laws so that any time a motorist hits a road worker or emergency responder law enforcement is required to test whether the driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol as soon as possible.

Giles-Burnett was referring to a recent decision by the Erie County District Attorney's Office to withdraw one of the charges filed against the motorist who hit Giles, 42-year-old Dawann M. Simmons.

Prosecutors originally charged Simmons with the second-degree felony of homicide by vehicle while DUI, which carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of three years, because investigators determined through a blood draw that Simmons' blood-alcohol content at the time of the crash was above the legal limit. Toxicology tests showed Simmons also had marijuana in his system, police said.

However, the charge was withdrawn because state police did not draw Simmons' blood until 4 hours and 18 minutes after taking him into custody. The statutory limit to take blood samples is two hours, but there are exceptions. Prosecutors have attributed the delay to state police being busy examining the crash scene and Simmons' need for medical attention.

Simmons still faces up to 29 years in prison if convicted on the other charges, which include homicide by vehicle involving a death in an emergency response area.

"That's one of the things that I want to focus on," Giles-Burnett said. "There's some different things. It's just a matter of figuring out who to go to and what kind of changes can I make? Do we need new equipment? Do we need better equipment? Do all of our first responders need to wear body cameras? Some of our school buses have cameras, why don't our emergency vehicles?"

Matthew Rink can be reached at mrink@timesnews.com or on X at @ETNRink .

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Fallen firefighter's widow on anniversary of his death: 'Everyone should make it home'