The city has hired an outside counsel to review the Boston Fire Department’s handling of harassment and discrimination allegations brought by women on the force, Mayor Martin J. Walsh revealed on Sunday.

Walsh, who is traveling in Ireland, reached out to attorney Kay Hodge, a partner at Stoneman, Chandler & Miller LLP, to conduct the review after being informed by a Globe reporter recently about allegations from some of Boston’s female firefighters, city officials said.

“Everyone should feel safe coming to work,’’ Walsh said in a statement Sunday announcing the independent review. “As soon as I learned of these concerns, I asked for outside counsel to take a look at the Boston Fire Department to ensure that we are taking the necessary steps to support an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.’’

Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn said he takes the safety and dignity of all firefighters very seriously and will not tolerate any behavior that is detrimental to the cohesiveness of the firehouse.

“It is my priority at the Boston Fire Department that we have a safe and supportive workplace,’’ Finn said Sunday. “I look forward to working with attorney Hodge and I’m fully committed to ensuring that every member of the department has the support they need.’’

In interviews with three female firefighters, a former liaison for the women in the department, and two female retirees, women described a pattern of harassment, discrimination, and sexism on the force. They said they don’t often report such problems because they don’t feel believed by the administration and fear being treated as if they did something wrong — or just can’t handle the job.

As firefighters, the women live, sleep, and work alongside their male colleagues on 24-hour shifts and in close quarters. They extinguish fires, assist people in distress, and work on specialized teams that handle hazardous materials. Often, they find themselves the only woman on a shift.

Hodge’s review will include how the department handled an alleged assault at a Jamaica Plain firehouse in January. In that case, a female firefighter said an on-duty male colleague exposed himself, grabbed her by the head, and pushed her face toward his crotch. That criminal case is due to be heard in West Roxbury Municipal Court.

Meanwhile, veteran firefighter Yvette Ram, who had been raising concerns with Fire Department administrators, said she looks forward to having outside counsel investigate and hopes Hodge will be able to examine “the culture that has allowed this unacceptable behavior to exist.’’

“These issues are not new to the BFD but have been occurring for over 25 years, with little to no change,’’ Ram said Sunday. “The women no longer want to be afraid to bring forward our concerns. Our work environment is unique, and our safety depends on allegations being addressed and taken seriously.’’

The women firefighters’ allegations drew strong responses from the city’s female elected officials.

“Given the nature of these allegations, I think an extensive independent investigation is warranted,’’ said City Council president Andrea Campbell, who has advocated for more diversity in the city’s public safety agencies. “We must also address a culture and environment where women have not felt supported.’’

Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George called the allegations “appalling, disgusting, and unacceptable.’’

“All our firefighters need to feel safe and respected on the job, and our job as city officials is to make sure that happens,’’ she said. “When our employees feel unheard and complaints [are] not responded to appropriately — that’s a problem.’’

Councilor Kim Janey said that the allegations are deeply troubling and that more should be done to investigate the climate in the firehouses.

“No one should have to work in a hostile work environment,’’ Janey said. “Women should be able to come forward without fear of retaliation.’’

And Councilor Lydia Edwards urged the city to take on the women’s issues. “I hope the city takes this incredibly seriously,’’ Edwards said. “We have an opportunity to address [this] and do better. This is not the time to run away from necessary difficult conversations.’’

Hodge has assisted the city on previous employment cases, including sexual harassment allegations against its former health services chief, Felix G. Arroyo, who was fired last year. Arroyo has denied the allegations.

Fire Department officials said they have investigated every case brought to their attention.

One case involved a male firefighter who allegedly used a department-issued smartphone app to locate a fire lieutenant who was at a female firefighter’s house. According to a complaint the woman filed with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the man then took a screenshot of the address, shared it with colleagues, and placed a bet with other firefighters about whether the woman and the lieutenant were sexually involved, sparking rumors.

The man was given an official reprimand and suspended for two 12-hour tours, a response the woman said was insufficient.

Ram also filed three complaints saying she was told her former long-term partner, also a firefighter, had been showing secret videos of her. The department said it investigated but found her claims unfounded. She said the investigations were cursory.

Veteran firefighter Julia Rodriguez had, until recently, been bringing the women’s concerns to Fire Department administrators as the official women’s liaison for the past six years. She set up a meeting in December with the deputy fire commissioner of labor relations, Connie Wong, and the department’s human resources director, Andrea Hennelly, so they could hear directly from the women.

In January, the female firefighter who had complained about the app incident said she was assaulted by her co-worker in the Jamaica Plain firehouse where they worked.

The police were called in that case, and the firefighter, David Sanchez of Hyde Park, has been charged with indecent assault and battery and assault and battery. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was ordered to stay away from the firehouse and the woman.

Finn said the department will closely monitor the case and take swift and appropriate action if and when necessary.

Meghan E. Irons can be reached at meghan.irons@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @meghanirons.