Emergency planning in Local Authorities has been in existence for over half a century, with its roots in the Civil Defence Act, 1948. From that year until 1986, the West Yorkshire County Council was responsible for civil defence (wartime) emergency planning. Following the abolition of the County Council in 1986, the responsibility was transferred to the West Yorkshire Fire and Civil Defence Authority .

In the late 1980s there was a growing recognition by local authorities that with the reducing threat of hostile attack and the increasing number of other types of emergencies (such as Chernobyl, Kings Cross, Zeebrugge and Lockerbie) more emphasis needed to be placed on peacetime emergency planning. In 1989, Wakefield MDC appointed a full time emergency planning officer to address these issues, as did many other local authorities throughout the Country.

In 1993, the responsibility for civil defence planning passed from the Fire and Civil Defence Authorities to the local authorities in Metropolitan areas such as West Yorkshire. A member of staff was transferred from the West Yorkshire Fire and Civil Defence Authority to Wakefield's Emergency Planning Section and at the same time, the Home Office transferred a proportion of the Civil Defence grant aid to Metropolitan Districts.

The Home Office subsequently recognised the need for emergency planning in the Metropolitan areas to be more adequately funded and in 2000 increased the grant aid to allow an additional member of staff to be appointed.

In 2003 a Business Continuity Officer was appointed to ensure that, wherever possible, the Council's services could continue to be provided even during times of significant disruption within the community.