A life built around service to others.
Shawn Giles was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, and graduated from North East High School in 1989 before serving in the United States Army from 1989 to 1993.
He joined Fuller Hose Company No. 1 in North East in 1999 and later returned to serve as a firefighter and fire police officer. In November 2021, Shawn earned his Pennsylvania Fire Police Officer certification.
On August 20, 2023, while directing traffic at a motor vehicle accident, Shawn was struck and killed in the line of duty. He was 53 years old and became the first volunteer firefighter in Fuller Hose Company No. 1's history to die in the line of duty.
Known by his family as a “gentle giant,” Shawn is remembered for his quiet nature, his willingness to lend a hand, and a life centered on service to others.
Biography based on the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Roll of Honor.