The County Governor acts primarily as an intermediary between central and local authorities and may, for example, organise exercises whereby the County Governor and other central government authorities practice coordinating with municipalities, private sector entities and voluntary organisations. Such coordination will often be managed through the County Emergency Council, which consists of representatives of the key emergency services, together with representatives of voluntary and private organisations.
Another important aspect of the County Governor's work is to ensure that civil protection is taken into account in social planning and that all municipalities have their own crisis management plans.
The County Governor is responsible for coordinating the regional Nuclear Disaster Committee and ensuring that regional and local authorities have developed plans for dealing with a nuclear accident. This work should be undertaken with guidance from the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA).