I’d have to second Maximim Scuba. http://www.maximum-scuba.com/ They are a great group of folks. They now have two locations. One in the Richmond area and one near Seabrook. They have many good instructors. If you have taken First Aid/CPR with AED from an organization like American Heart Association within the last two years, then it should count as the prerequisite for the Rescue course. I have never taken EFR from PADI. I just keep my AHA card current. The course will most likely be done at one of the local mud holes, er I mean lakes. When I did the course, we did it over two weekends. Saturdays and Sundays. I would guess this would depend on the schedule of the instructor. With the right instructor, it can be a lot of fun and a great learning experience. I recommend that you talk with several instructors so you can decide which one will suit you and your schedule best. Good luck in your search.