This paper argues for the creation of a 17th critical infrastructure sector–the Deathscape Services Sector (DSS), because of its foundational, yet obfuscated role in our country’s emergency preparedness (EP) and national security (NS). In this paper, we: (i) define the deathscape, (ii) offer a brief history of EP and NS, and note the benefits of operational consolidation, (iii) explore the foundational role the deathscape plays in EP, (iv) illustrate how deathscape actors already participate in the EP process, through the examination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s five mission areas and explain why the deathscape is an entry point into EP for urban and regional planners, and (v) propose that to address current, and prevent further vulnerabilities, the deathscape should be designated the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s 17th critical infrastructure sector.