F-150 fuse 15 blows and GEM smoked.

I have a 2000 Ford F150. Fuse 15 keeps blowing and the electric windows wont work and you cant shift it from park. I bought a diagnostic tool and found that the brake switch was out of range. I tried to unplug it and replace the fuse. When I replaced the fuse it blew again and smoke came from the fuse panel. I pulled the fuse panel and removed the GEM. The I can clearly smell electrical smoke coming from the GEM. I ordered a new GEM and a brake switch and the brake pressure switch. When I get them and replace the GEM and the switches is there anything else I need to check before I put power back to the GEM? Do I need to ohm out any of the leads for connectors before connecting everything back up? I see no corrosion or frayed wires anywhere. Everything looks good. I also took the GEM board out and it has no corrosion or moister damage on it or its connectors. Could anything else be shorting out this circuit? Im just trying to avoid frying the new GEM. I do know to disconnect the battery before connecting the new GEM.