Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
Cruise at FL340. Received L WSHLD HEAT caution MSG. Performed QRH and MSG did not reset. Noticed small damage in  bottom left of left windshield. Approximately 1 to 2 minutes later outer layer of windshield shattered with a loud pop. Performed descent and accomplished QRH for windshield damage. Declared Emergency and diverted. First Officer performed landing due to lack of visibility out of left windshield. Landed otherwise normally and taxied to gate.
After a CRJ-200 EICAS alerted L WSHLD HEAT which would not reset; the windshield outer layer shattered so an emergency was declared; the QRH completed and the First Officer conducted the landing at the divert airport.